James David Rodríguez Rubio (born 12 July 1991) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger and captains the Colombia national team. He is regarded as one of the best Colombian players of all time.
⚽ Early Career
Rodríguez started his professional career in 2006 with Colombian club Envigado. He became the second youngest Colombian player to start a professional match, playing his first match on 21 May 2006 at the age of 14.
In February 2008, he was signed by Argentine team Banfield. He made his first team debut on 7 February 2009 and became the youngest foreigner in Argentine football history.
🇵🇹 Porto Success
On 6 July 2010, Rodríguez was signed by Porto for €5.1 million. He signed a four-year contract with a €30 million release clause.
He finished the 2010–11 season with six goals and eight assists in 31 appearances. He won four trophies: the Super Cup title, the league title, the Europa League title, and the Cup title.
In the 2011–12 season, Rodríguez scored 14 goals for Porto and delivered 11 assists. He won the Portuguese Golden Ball award in 2012, becoming the second Colombian to win the award.
🇫🇷 Monaco and Real Madrid
On 25 May 2013, Rodríguez joined Monaco for a transfer fee of €45 million. He signed a five-year contract set to keep him at the club until 2018.
In 2014, he moved from Monaco to Real Madrid for a transfer fee of £63 million. In his debut season, he was named in the La Liga Team of the Season and won La Liga Best Midfielder.
🌍 Later Clubs and International Career
In 2017, he signed for German club Bayern Munich on a two-year loan deal. In the summer of 2020, he signed for Premier League club Everton on a free transfer.
He played in the 2014, 2018 and 2026 FIFA World Cup, winning the Golden Boot in 2014. He also represented his nation at the Copa América in 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2024, winning a third-place medal in 2016 and reaching the final in 2024.
| Year | Club | Transfer Fee | Key Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Porto | €5.1 million | Portuguese Golden Ball 2012 |
| 2013 | Monaco | €45 million | First goal for Monaco (free-kick) |
| 2014 | Real Madrid | £63 million | La Liga Best Midfielder |
| 2017 | Bayern Munich | Two-year loan | — |